1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to mattresses used with hospital beds in hospitals and more particularly, to such a mattress suitable for bedridden or immobile patients who are compelled or need to lie in bed for a long period of time.
2. Description of the Related Art
It is known that bedridden or immobile patients who are compelled or need to stay in bed for medical treatment or care have lumbago, arthralgia, or bedsore due to worsened circulation of the blood. In view of this problem, a posture of the patient lying in bed is conventionally changed periodically, or air is blown out against the patient so that the occurrence and progress of arthralgia or bedsore can be prevented. However, to change the posture of the patient and to blow air against the patient are troublesome. Moreover, the posture of the patient cannot sometimes be changed depending upon the condition of the patient or a type of disease.
A mattress with an air blowing function has been put to practical use. Since air can automatically be blown against the body of the patient lying on the mattress, the occurrence and progress of bedsore can be prevented.
An object of the present invention is to provide a mattress which can prevent occurrence and progress of lumbago and arthralgia as well as bedsore.
The present invention provides a mattress comprising a cushion body having air permeability, an air discharger provided below the cushion body, the air discharger having flexibility, for discharging air into the cushion body, and a heat source provided below the cushion body for performing far infrared radiation into the cushion body, the heat source having flexibility.
According to the above-described mattress, the skin of a person lying thereon is dried by air discharged from the air discharger. Consequently, occurrence and progress of bedsore can be prevented. Further, the circulation of the blood of a person lying on the mattress is facilitated by the far infrared radiation from the heat source. Consequently, occurrence and progress of lumbago and arthralgia can be prevented.
Furthermore, both of the air discharger and heat source have flexibility. Air is discharged from the air discharger and the far infrared radiation from the heat source can be performed even when the mattress is bent or folded. Accordingly, the mattress in accordance with the invention can be used with, for example, a bed for medical treatment with a posture adjusting mechanism.
The heat source preferably comprises a generally cloth-like heat generator made of a filament yarn further made of a synthetic resin with carbon added and a metallic yarn causing the filament yarn to generate heat by means of resistance when the filament yarn is energized. Since this construction reduces the thickness of the heat source, sleep is not disturbed even when the heat source is disposed inside the mattress.
The mattress preferably further comprises an air supply for supplying air to the air discharger, an air passage connected to the air supply and the air discharger so that air is supplied from the air supply to the air discharger therethrough, and a disinfectant supply for supplying a disinfectant component into the air supplied from the air supply so that the air discharged from the air discharger contains the disinfectant component. The occurrence and progress of bedsore can be prevented since this construction prevents pyogenic bacteria from propagation on an affected part of bedsore.
The mattress preferably further comprises an air supply for supplying air to the air discharger, an air passage connected to the air supply and the air discharger so that air is supplied from the air supply to the air discharger therethrough, and a heater provided in the middle of the air passage for heating the air flowing through the air passage. Since hot air is discharged from the air discharger, the skin of a person lying on the mattress is dried and cutaneous respiration is facilitated. Consequently, the occurrence and progress of bedsore can further be prevented.
The air discharger preferably includes an air discharger for legs, an air discharger for a waist, an air discharger for shoulders, and an air discharger for a head. In this case, the mattress preferably further comprises a controller for controlling the air dischargers for the legs, waist, shoulders, and head respectively independent of one another. Air can suitably be discharged from the dischargers according to the conditions of parts of the personal body.
The heat source preferably includes a heat source for legs and a heat source for a waist. Far infrared radiation can be concentrated on the legs and waist which are susceptible to arthralgia. In this case, the mattress preferably further comprises a controller for controlling the heat sources for the leg and waist independently of each other. Consequently, far infrared radiation from the heat source can be performed according to the conditions of the legs and waist.